Daydreams take flight in Hector Giacomelli’s delicate bird and butterfly engravings, originally created for 19th-century book covers. A French watercolourist, engraver, and illustrator, Giacomelli (1822–1904) was highly sought after for his ornamental additions to written works.
He contributed paintings and drawings to Gustave Doré’s Vulgate Bible (1866) and publications such as Le Monde illustré, Le Magasin pittoresque, and L’Illustration, in addition to private commissions for wealthy bibliophiles.
It is Giacomelli’s instantly recognizable illustration for Jules Michelet’s L’Insecte that we have chosen for this series. Originally etched in gold on a cloth cover, this design reflects Giacomelli’s passion for the natural world, particularly plants, insects, and birds. We have kept to his original colour palette to honour the uniquely captivating charm that only Giacomelli could create for this Les Papillons journal.
Les Papillons is available as a hardcover journal and washi tape.
